By Marie Rosenthal, MS
The flu vaccine can still protect millions of people from illness even when the flu shot is not well matched to the circulating strains of influenza, keeping many out of the hospital and reducing the number of deaths, according to a recent analysis.
The 2017-2018 influenza season was particularly harsh. The season, which lasted from Oct. 1, 2017 to May 19, 2018, the A(H3N2) virus was the most widely circulating strain. Large numbers of outpatient clinic and emergency